TWN
THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER
Remembering sailor, journalist & author Jo Bailey
January 2018
Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
Legislative records lawsuit gets hearing; ruling expected soon A ruling is expected Jan. 19 in the lawsuit challenging the assertion that Washington State lawmakers don’t have to comply with public disclosure rules that apply to other elected officials and agencies. The suit was filed in September by the Associated Press and a coalition of other media organizations, including WNPA. Whether or not individual lawmakers in Washington state fall under statutory definitions that would require their records to be subject to more stringent public disclosure was at the heart of a two-hour hearing last month. Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Lanese peppered attorneys for both the Washington Legislature and the media with numerous questions, trying to pin down why lawmakers believe they don’t have to turn over records ranging from daily calendars to work emails, and whether tweaks to state statutes over the years exempted lawmakers. “I think you can tell by my questioning that I am somewhat skeptical that legislative offices are not subject to the public records act,” Lanese said. Lanese said that he would not issue a ruling in the case until he receives more information from both sides, as well as a legal brief that he requested the Attorney General’s Office to submit in two
weeks. The lawsuit focuses on how the Washington Legislature interprets a 1995 revision to a 1971 definition of legislative records. Lawyers for the House and Senate regularly cite that change as a reason to withhold records, arguing that most lawmaker records are not considered public. That is despite voters overwhelmingly passing an initiative in 1972 that affirmed the public’s right to “full access to public records so as to assure continuing public confidence in fairness of elections and governmental processes, and so as to assure that the public interest will be fully protected.” In previous court filings, attorneys for the Legislature have also argued that later changes in 2005 and 2007, when the public records act’s language and definitions were incorporated into a separate state statute, definitively removed lawmakers from disclosure requirements. No bill report, testimony or floor debates on those measures in any of those years indicated that the Legislature’s goal was to exempt legislative records from disclosure. Lanese asked the Legislature’s lead attorney, Paul Lawrence, how he defines “state office” — one of the definitions in question. “I think the question is whether or not state office would inSee LAWSUIT Page 2
Brian Myrick of the Daily Record in Ellensburg won third place in the Photographer of the Year Category in the 2017 Better Newspaper Contest with shots like this.
Legislative Day registration now open
Registration is now open at wnpa.com for Legislative Day. Sponsored by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association and Allied Daily Newspapers, the event is Feb. 8 and includes meetings with state appointed and elected officials and Legislative leaders, a reception at the Supreme Court and dinner with Gov. Jay Inslee at the Governor’s Mansion. The day begins at 10 a.m. in the Senate Rules Room in the Capitol Building with a legislative report from Rowland Thompson, the Executive Director of Allied Daily Newspapers. After a short break, presentations begin at 11 a.m. with state elected officials and legislative leaders that goes to about 3:30 with a half hour break for lunch. Following the briefing, attendees move to the Temple of Justice for a reception with State Su-
preme Court justices and the day concludes with dinner at the Governor’s Mansion. The cost for a full registration is $100. A la Carte registration is also available for attendees who want to attend a portion of the event. To register, go to wnpa.com, scroll down and click on the Legislative Day tile. You do not need to sign in to the website to register. Attendance at the dinner is limited, so early registration is advised.
LAWSUIT: exemption process questioned
exempt itself from a law that the clude a branch of government,” people of the state Washington Lawrence responded. “I think passed, it darn well better state state office does not include a that somewhere,” Earl-Hubbard branch of government.” said. “I view it as a sort of shell Lanese later asked Lawrence game.” if the individual lawmakers were The Legislature has hired subject to the public records act two outside firms to represent between 1995 and 2007. it in the case: Seattle-based “I think it’s an open quesPacifica Law Group, which has tion,” Lawrence responded. assigned three attorneys to the Lanese noted the lack of pub- case, including Lawrence and lic debate over the changes that Gov. Jay Inslee’s former counthe Legislature said it made. sel, Nick Brown. Also defending “There appeared to be no the Legislature is Olympiaacknowledgment in the bill based Bean, Gentry, Wheeler & digest or other easily accessible Peternell, which has assigned portions of legislative history former state Supreme Court indicating that the Legislature Chief Justice Gerry Alexander was taking the action which one to the case. might deem noteworthy and Besides AP, the groups inattention worthy and worthy of volved in the lawsuit are: public significant debate in committee radio’s Northwest News Nethearings, of exempting themwork, KING-TV, KIRO 7, Alselves from the public records lied Daily Newspapers of Washact, particularly in 2007,” he ington, The Spokesman-Review, said. “That’s nowhere.” the Washington Newspaper Michele Earl-Hubbard, a Publishers Association, Sound lawyer for the media coaliPublishing, Tacoma News Inc. tion, agreed and said that and The Seattle Times. legislative lawyers have given differing time frames This is an edited version of on when they say they exthe original hearing coverage empted themselves. by Rachel La Corte of the As“If the Legislature is going to sociated Press. Continued from Page 1
Officers: Sandy Stokes, President; Michael Wagar, First Vice President; Donna Etchey, Second Vice President, Don Nelson, Past President. Trustees: Tom Mullen, Patrick Grubb, Colette Weeks, Eric LaFontaine and Scott Hunter. THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER is the offical publication of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. It is published monthly by WNPA, PO Box 389, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Staff Fred Obee: Executive Director: 360-344-2938. Email: fredobee@wnpa.com Janay Collins, Member Services Director: 360-344-2938. Email: ads@wnpa.com 2 The Washington Newspaper January 2018
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Camaraderie, information sharing part of being a WNPA member By Sandy Stokes Are you getting the most out of your WNPA membership? If you haven’t attended a convention or come to Legislative Day, which is coming up on Feb. 8, you’re Stokes missing out on a chance to be with your tribe. You belong with people who know the horror of power failures on deadline, the sting of public criticism for reporting on local politics, hearing “no” time and time again from potential advertisers, and what it’s like waking up in the middle of the night after the presses have run worried you might have misspelled a name in an obituary. In other words, we get you. Your colleagues at WNPA know exactly what it’s like to be a government watchdog and entertaining readers while being a compassionate employer and keeping a business afloat. Camaraderie, networking, sharing ideas and receiving encouragement are some of the best benefits of our organization Some of our members haven’t engaged with us other than sending in dues each month. Don’t get me wrong, we love getting paid so we can keep the lights on. It’s just that we’d like to give a
little love back to our member papers. We don’t want to be pests, but there are member benefits that some newspapers aren’t using. For example, there were 51 member papers that did not enter the “general excellence” category in last year’s Better Newspaper Contest. There is no entry fee for that category, and it’s just a matter of uploading the PDFs of your paper to enter. Another benefit is our statewide cooperative advertising network – your local festivals and politicians can reach millions of readers at an incredible price, while your newspaper makes a whopping 50 percent profit. Fred or Janay at the WNPA office can hook you up with our twoinch by two-column “impact” ads. An important function of your association is lobbying on your behalf to fight off yearly efforts to unravel the people’s right to know what our state government is up to. We help beat back bills every year that try to weaken the state’s open government laws. Right now, WNPA is a party in the lawsuit filed against our state Legislature. A team of at least four lawyers representing the defendants – the elected officials that voters sent to Olympia to conduct the people’s business – insist that members of the Legislature are exempt from state public records laws.
We have one warrior attorney on our side. Open government specialist Michele Earl-Hubbard has been ripping the Legislature’s lawyers’ theories apart on behalf of WNPA, the Associated Press, Seattle Times, Allied Daily Newspapers, KING-TV, KIRO 7, Northwest News Network, Sound Publishing, Tacoma News, and the SpokesmanReview. The judge on the case is expected to have a ruling this month. And speaking of WNPA member benefits, Michele is the one we call when our members need legal advice or help vetting a story for libel. Executive Director Fred Obee is the one to call for that benefit, too. This month member papers will start receiving ready-to-run stories from our Olympia News Bureau. We have a team of three young reporters who will keep tabs on the state lawmakers while they’re in session. Our WNPA Foundation pays for this. If you have a special request for coverage, a story idea you’d like the bureau to pursue or haven’t received any copy by mid-January, please shoot me an email at sstokes. onb@gmail.com.
Olympia News Bureau now sending stories
Student interns with the Olympia News Bureau started sending stories to WNPA members on Friday, Jan. 5. The reporters are Taylor Mclvoy, Alex Visser and Josh
Kelety. Please be in touch with Bureau Chief Sandy Stokes if you have questions about the Legislative coverage at sstokes.onb@gmail.com.
Sandy Stokes is the Bureau Chief of the University of Washington/WNPA Foundation Olympia News Bureau and this year’s WNPA President.
PASSINGS
Jo Bailey, sailor, San Juan Islands journalist, author By Louise Dustrude Jo Bailey, who worked on the Friday Harbor Journal as a reporter and columnist for 12 years beginning in 1977, died Oct. 13, 2017 in Port Townsend. She arrived in the San Juan Islands on her 30-foot wooden sloop, Sea Witch, and despite having almost no newspaper experience persuaded Larry Duthie, then the new owner of the Journal, to hire her. She was hired first to write a regular column about the waterfront, and produced columns that were on-time and accurate, so he soon offered her a reporting job. As he
tells it now, “She knew nothing about news writing, but what she did have from the beginning was a keen nose for news and boundless enthusiasm. She could ferret out stories like an old pro.” For example, she discovered that the school board was meeting secretly on the ferry, trying to figure out how to deal with a superintendent who was over-spending his budget. She got the story, and the secret meetings came to an end. Bill Ristow, whom Larry had hired as his new editor in 1981, calls her a “good solid community journalist, curious about what was going on and
eager to tell stories about it to her readers, and she knew how to tell those stories both honestly and with respect for their subject.” He adds, “But I must say what I remember the most about Jo, both as a colleague and years after that as a friend, was her nature. The word ‘gusto’ could have been invented for her. Everything she did, everyone she talked to or about, she did it with enthusiasm and an infectious spirit that was impossible to resist.” Jo lived aboard the Sea Witch at first, and later joined Al Cummings, a former longtime Seattle radio personality, on his
wooden powerboat, the Roanoake. The two of them partnered to produce a series of “Gunkholing” books, with wonderfully detailed information about boating in the Northwest, and unhurriedly exploring quiet bays and backwaters. In later years her partner in life and in researching and writing the “Gunkholing” books was Carl Nyberg, a naval architect from Seattle. They were married in 2008, and he died in 2010. Jo was an excellent sailor, and her columns captured an important piece of living on an island. In one she wrote Jo Bailey at the helm with both a cat and a dog See BAILEY, Page 4 by her side.
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The Washington Newspaper January 2018 3
We want you to upload your legal advertisements Four years ago, WNPA, in partnership with Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington, established a statewide legals website after some legislators began discussing moving legal advertising from printed newspapers to a statewide website. Similar proposals are being made all across the country, and we didn’t want it to happen here so WNPA and Allied told state legislators that the newspapers of Washington would create their own statewide website at no cost to the state if legislators left in place that requirement that legals continue to appear first in print in the state’s newspapers. That way, we argued, interested parties around the state would have easy, online access to legal notices, but newspapers would retain their crucial role in accepting and publishing legals. Why should papers continue to publish legals? • It’s important that an independent third party verify that governments have fulfilled their duty to inform the public. • Local newspapers are the place most readers expect to find public notices that affect their community. • Legal advertising brings in revenues that support healthy, community newspapers which provide an essential service in notifying the public of government actions. • Many people don’t have access to online websites, but everyone can pick up a paper and
be informed. The specter of legal ads vanishing from print publications is very real. Many states, counties and municipalities across the nation are arguing for the end of the required publication of public notices in newspapers in favor of online publication on government websites. Here in Washington, we reached out to the Illinois Press Association, which has vast experience in this area, and partnered with them to provide Washington State newspapers with Washington’s public notice site, wapublicnotices.com. WNPA members believe it is imperative newspapers remain the primary provider of vital government information. That’s why we ask all newspapers in the state of Washington to upload their legal advertisements to this statewide site. There is a small charge to help support the site – 10 cents per legal. But that is a very small price to keep legal advertisements in our print newspapers where readers expect to find them. This effort will protect legal advertisements in newspapers, but only if newspapers statewide consistently upload their legal advertisements to the site. Uploading legals is an easy process that doesn’t take a lot of time. It can even be automated, if that is your preference. To learn more, call WNPA at 360-344-2938 or email Janay Collins at ads@wnpa.com.
BAILEY: Stayed active, loved sailing, travel Continued from Page 3
about the boater’s annual ritual, the haul-out, which she did in Port Townsend since her sons lived there: “So we packed the Sea Witch with every conceivable can of paint, sandpaper, sanders, rags, thinner, brushes, tools, credit cards and checkbooks, and headed to Port Townsend. We caught the ebb, were sucked out Cattle Pass, buffeted through the slop caused by the ebb and the southwest wind, and then had a glorious fast sail across the strait.” Three years ago, at the age of 86, she joined a swim exercise class and took up lap swimming. Jo was born in Seattle in 1928, and named Joanne Claribel Imeson, according to her obituary in the Port Townsend Leader written by her son Bill. He wrote, “She spent summers in Indianola where her parents had a summer home and where she retained a home until her death. She graduated from Roosevelt
High School in 1946 and married John Bailey in 1948. After their children were born she pursued a teaching degree at PLU and worked as a schoolteacher in Olympia beginning in 1965 before moving to Friday Harbor.” “She moved to Port Townsend in 2009 where she became active in AAUW and volunteered in the elementary school reading program. She participated in several community activities including family orchestra. She continued to maintain a presence in Indianola while living in Port Townsend and introduced her new friends to the place she always considered her ‘real home.’” “Joanne always enjoyed travel and made One of the original gunkholing books authored by Bailey. several Pacific crossings on private sailboats, She is survived by her in addition to visiting, five children, Megan BaiThis obituary origiamong other places, nally appeared on the China (where she taught ley, Robin Gould, Debi website San Juan Island English for a short time), Bailey, John Bailey, and Bill Bailey, nine grandUpdate. Poland, Samoa, Tonga, children, and twelve Turkey, Norway, and great-grandchildren. Scotland.”
The Washington Newspaper January 2018 4
WNPA Impact Ads a great source of new revenue Selling statewide or regional 2x2 or 2x4 black and white Impact Ads is a big part of what helps fund your Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, and it’s a great option for advertisers seeking broader reach for their messages. Here’s how it works: • You sell the ad and send an insertion order to WNPA. • Your paper keeps half the revenue and the advertising sales person gets their regular commission. • WNPA receives 50 percent of the sale and uses that money to provide your legal hotline, professional services, Legislative Day, the Better Newspaper Contest and the annual convention. • All member newspapers are asked to publish the ads sold by other newspapers without cost. Potential customers include festivals, fairs, resorts, real estate offices, state agencies, statewide or regional political candidates – anyone who desires a
cost effective regional or statewide campaign. Because member newspapers publish these ads for free, the ads are necessarily small – just 2 columns wide by either two or four inches tall. A great way to pay for these ads is to work with non-profit organizations in your area. They can apply to your local city and county governments for hotel-motel tax fund grants to pay for these ads. A Chamber of Commerce, for example, can ask your county government for funds to help attract tourists to your area. These can be general ads detailing the benefits of visiting your area, or ads for a specific fair or festival. Anything that brings people to your area can qualify. It’s not too early to talk with local chamber or festival organizers now about the possibilities. Generally, they make their proposals at the end of summer to local governments. Actual schedules may differ in your area, so check with city or county officials
Impact Ads can be sold statewide or by the region, as indicated on the map above. You can buy the metro area, coastal region or eastern Washington. These afforable ads are great to publicize community events. 5 The Washington Newspaper January 2018
about specific timelines. The WNPA Impact Ad program is an important arrow in your sales quiver and a great way for advertisers in your area to reach a broader audience. Questions? Call Janay Collins at WNPA, 360-344-2938 or email ads@wnpa.com.
Sell the most and you win $1,000 The top seller of WNPA Impact Ads will win the Pinnacle Award, presented each year at the annual convention. The award comes with a nice tro-
phy and a check for $1,000. Currently in the lead is Kachele Yelaca of the Port Townsend Leader. Part of her success came in selling recruitement ads to the local county sheriff’s department. County’s are always struggling with recruitment for health officials, county planners and others. That might work in your community, too.
WNPA JOB BOARD REPORTER The South Whidbey Record, in Freeland, WA, is seeking a full-time general assignment reporter with writing and photography skills. This position is based out of our office on Whidbey Island. Primary coverage may include city government, business, sports, general assignment stories; and arts coverage. Candidates must have excellent communication and organizational skills, and be able to work effectively in a deadline-driven environment. Proficiency with AP style, pagination and digital imaging using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop software is preferred We offer a competitive hourly wage and benefits package including health insurance, paid time off (vacation, sick, and holidays), and 401K (currently with an employer match.) Email us your cover letter, resume, and include five examples of your best work showcasing your reporting skills and writing chops to: careers@soundpublishing.com, ATTN: HR/RSWR Sound Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Check out our website to find out more about us! www. soundpublishing.com REPORTER The Vidette in Montesano, Wash., has an opening for a fulltime reporter. We value enterprise and reporters who dig. We’re looking for someone to produce clear, brightly written stories relevant to real people reading us in print, on our website and in social media. Ability to take photos is a plus, as is familiarity with social media. Montesano is on the Washington Coast, an hour from the Olympic Rain Forest and two hours from Seattle. Benefits include, but are not limited to paid vacation, sick and holidays, medical, dental and life insurance, and a 401(K) plan with company match. Send a cover letter, resume and writing samples to: careers@ soundpublishing.com for immediate consideration. The Montesano Vidette is part of Sound Publishing, Western Washington’s largest community news organization. EOE
REPORTER The Chronicle in Centralia has an opening for a hard-charging, fearless reporter who enjoys a good outdoors adventure as much as a contentious city council meeting. The successful applicant will take over the city beat for Centralia and Chehalis while covering a geographic area that includes Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier National Park. You’ll join a team of four news reporters (and two sports reporters) in a newsroom of nine. We work hard to cover the news, and we have fun doing it. The Chronicle publishes three editions each week while keeping www.chronline.com and other specialty websites wired with fresh, updated news throughout the day. We pride ourselves on the quality and quantity of the news we produce. This job calls for a hardworking journalist with attention to detail and a desire to tell the stories of our county of 75,000 people and surrounding communities. Recent college graduates are welcome to apply, but we’re hoping for a candidate with at least a few years of experience and the clips to prove it. The Chronicle is just a 90-minute drive from Seattle, Portland and the Pacific Ocean, and it boasts some of the best outdoors opportunities in the region. Medical, dental and 401K are offered for full-time employees. Send an application, references and at least three writing samples to Editor Eric Schwartz at eschwartz@ chronline.com to be considered. Tell us why you enjoy reporting the news and what about your experiences would make you a good fit here at The Chronicle. JOURNALIST, PART-TIME Not just anyone can be a community journalist, but the lucky few know they have one of the best jobs in the world. The Anacortes American has a part-time position for a talented, properly trained journalist. This position includes reporting, writing, copy-editing, pagination, photography, videography and multimedia storytelling. Even though we are a weekly newspaper, we cover news every day, so candidates
6 The Washington Newspaper January 2018
need a professional understanding of how social media and news websites operate. A bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in journalism or a related field with specific training. Recent journalism graduates will be considered. Pagination skills are a plus. Send cover letter, resume and work samples to Editor Colette Weeks at cweeks@skagitpublishing. com. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. REPORTER, BUSINESS/ GENERAL ASSIGNMENT Do you live for the hunt of a good story? Do you have the talent to share it in a way that keeps readers hanging on your words? Do you understand that finding and retelling the news is a multifaceted process? Can you communicate in 140 characters as well as in 1,400? The daily Skagit Valley Herald of Mount Vernon, Wash., seeks a talented, tenacious and versatile journalist to report on business, government and general assignments. Today’s journalist needs powerful reporting skills, a solid understanding of multimedia storytelling and the ability to snap a picture or catch a quick video clip. Candidates with daily newspaper experience preferred, though entry level with appropriate degree and journalism training will be considered. Full benefits in the beautiful Skagit Valley, just an hour north of Seattle. Send cover letter, resume and work samples to Director of Content Colette Weeks at cweeks@skagitpublishing.com. SPORTS EDITOR The Daily World at Aberdeen, Wash., is looking for a leader in its sports department. Candidates should have experience designing pages with InDesign and demonstrated social media experience. This is a full-time position and includes medical, dental, life, disability, paid time-off and a 401k with company match. Please send at least three non-returnable writing samples and your resume to careers@soundpublishing.com for immediate consideration.
Have a legal question? WNPA is ready to help If you have a question about access to public meetings or records, the WNPA staff can help. Call 360-344-2938 For questions beyond government access -- if an attorney has served you with a demand letter, or if Earl Hubbard you need emergency review of a story, letter or ad -- call or email our WNPA attorney, Michele Earl Hubbard. (206) 801-7510 or email
michele@alliedlawgroup.com